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Editor's Letter
H
ow can we give our students more choices to find
and express their individual voices through their
art? And, where can you find guidance to bring
this about in your artroom? One way is by reading
The Open Art Room, a monthly column in SchoolArts in
which Melissa Purtee and Ian Sands alternate as authors.
The Open Art Room shifts from a traditional, linear way
of teaching to explore a student-directed, choice-based
approach. Melissa and Ian recently co-authored a book
published by Davis Publications, also called The Open Art
Room, which expands upon the monthly column.
The Open Art Room presents three levels of student
choice to consider incorporating into your artroom. The
first is teacher-directed, where the teacher makes the
decision or sets specific limitations. The second is modi-
fied choice, in which students are given a limited range
of options from which to choose. The third is full choice,
where the student is responsible for making all-important
choices. The approach you choose to use is up to you,
whether you are considering transitioning from a tradi-
tional teaching style or exploring choice-based options.
A t erm used in choice that may be new to you is boot-
camp. Bootcamps are mini-lessons of quick skill-building
activities that introduce media and techniques. These one-
or two-day experiences typically start with whole group
instruction and guided practice. It is very likely that you
already introduce media and materials this way.
There are no hard and fast rules about implementing
choice, but there are some approaches you can easily incor-
porate in your teaching. Consider giving project prompts
t
hat are based on themes, big ideas, essential questions, or
artistic behaviors and provide more choices of media, mate-
rials, and techniques. Look for the student voices in our
a
rticles this month. They are intended to inspire you.
Visit SchoolArtsRoom.com
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Nancy at the NAEA National Convention in New York City last year.
A student's style, emotion, and opinion form that student's voice.
—The Open Art Room, Melissa Purtee and Ian Sands
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